Natural Stone Using Natural Stone in the Landscape en-us Nucleus CMS v3.40 � Weblog http://backend.userland.com/rss /nucleus/nucleus2.gif Natural Stone Plant Hardiness Zone Finder index.php?itemid=12 Compliments of Garden.ca
]]> General index.php?itemid=12 Fri, 13 Mar 2009 18:58:17 +0000 Rock Gardens - A Different Kind of Garden index.php?itemid=11
flagstone pathway thru the garden

How Big Should It Be:
This decision of course is going to be entirely up to you taking into consideration how much time you have and how much space you have to work with. You may have seen pictures in magazines of very elaborate looking rock gardens with waterfalls or streams running through them and paths made up of large flat rock for walking. However, small, simply designed gardens look just as good and in the long run for many of use will work out better. This is especially true if you are making one from scratch, you need to consider the amount of time needed to build it and the cost factor as you'll be needing topsoil, rocks and plants. Remember the old saying we all head growing up "Your eyes are bigger than your stomach" well it applies here as well, start small and build up over time.

I've had rock gardens at two different homes both had to be started from scratch and both started out small. The first started small mainly because I'd never done one before, in fact it didn't start out to be a rock garden at all. It started as a flower garden right behind the garage, but the discovery of some Hens & Chicks at a local nursery changed everything. Which now leads to the next section, plants.

What Plants To Use
This type of garden is a little different from what you may normally be accustomed to - large plants with brightly colored blooms. Here you want plants that are relatively small, there are many low growing perennials available. And don't get to caught up in whether the plants has flowers or not, what your looking for is something to enhance and complement the rock clusters you've put together. Also don't limit your choices to just plants, small dwarf evergreen shrubs can also be used and will add another texture to the garden. In fact is space permits add a few larger shrubs to the back of the garden, which works as a backdrop to really put the rock garden in the spot light.
perennial plants for a rock garden

Examples of Plants & Shrubs:
Perennials
· Creeping Myrtle - green leaves with violet blue spring flowers
· Hens & Chicks - many varieties of color and texture
· Sedum - creeping in gold or red
· Phlox - creeping in pink, red, blue and white

Shrubs
· Juniper
· Dwarf Mugho Pine
· Birds Nest Spruce

Maintaining A Rock Garden:
Routine care like with any garden is needed. Cutting back leggy plants, dead heading any flowering plants, removal of any dead stems and dividing any plants that have become to big. Also like with all gardens water when necessary and feed occasionally. Putting down a thick layer of mulch will help during the hot summer to keep moisture where it belongs around the plants roots; this is also beneficial if you live in an area where winters are harsh.

To Add Decorative Accents or Not - Here's a Good Question:
Many articles and experienced gardeners will more than likely tell you that the addition of decorative accents is not necessary as the simple lines of plants and rocks is the decorative element. I on the other hand disagree, to me adding a little something like a small figurine, a mini birdbath or a tiny wind chime hanging from a miniature Shepard's hook only add to the beauty of the garden. However as with indoor decorating, a garden whether it is rock, flower or vegetable should express and represent the creative side to each individual gardener, so if you like the way something looks go ahead and use it.

Give Rock Gardening a try. Happy Gardening
This is a share ware article. Give this article away for free on your site, or include it as part of any paid package as long as the entire article is left intact including this notice.]]> General index.php?itemid=11 Fri, 6 Feb 2009 08:28:33 +0000 Save Installation Time with Jumbo Flag index.php?itemid=8
It may be hard to understand that you can install a passive walkway using jumbo flag in about 1/3 the time it would take to install a paving stone walkway of the same size. The reasons are simple with a paving stone walkway you have to:
· strip the topsoil and excavate down 8” below final paver height
· remove fill off site
· compact and install a granular base
· install a fine granular leveling base
· install and cut the pavers to suit
· compact the pavers
· sweep in a polymeric jointing sand

As with a jumbo flag walkway you only have to do the following:
· strip off the topsoil to a depth of 3”
· start installing the jumbo flag pieces and spud bar them into final position
· sweep the topsoil fill from excavation into the joints of the stones

Inlaid flagstone pathway

Winding passive walkway


There are a variety of plant material options for infilling the gaps between the stones such as simply adding turf between the cracks flush with the top of the flagstones so a lawn mower can travel overtop effortlessly. Another option is the addition of Creeping Thyme between the stones. Creeping Thyme grows about two to four inches high and can spread up to two or more feet in width. The leaves are very small, but dense and cover the low growing plants. Foliage color varies in shades of light to dark green and the variety 'Woolly' thyme has attractive grayish foliage.

Lemon Thyme installed into the flagstone joints


The leaf color of the other varieties seems to vary with flower color, the lighter flowering varieties have lighter foliages. Flower colors range in shades of lavender, red, rose, or white. They flower in the late spring and early summer. The plants flower so prolifically; you can hardly see the evergreen leaves below. Creeping thyme is an easy plant to maintain, as it does not tend to take-over and can easily be confined to a specific area.

Turf installed flush with the existing grade

Completed winding passive walkway

Completly surround the flagstones with sod


I am interested in your comments on this Jumbo Flag tutorial]]> General index.php?itemid=8 Fri, 9 Jan 2009 15:54:35 +0000 Unique Stone Window Wells index.php?itemid=7 · excavate10” below the window sill and remove fill
· drill a series of 6” dia holes down to a depth of 4’
· install 6” sono tubes and cut the top off flush with the excavated grade
· lay 2” of ridged styrofoam SM onto the grade
· using 2x4” lumber form to the outside of the boulder wall
· install rebar stirrups into the sono tubes and in a grid on top of the Styrofoam
· pour, place and broom finish the concrete 3000psi with air entrainment

Preparation for concrete, sono tubes, stryofoam and rebar

Top layer of stone can extend slightly above grade

It may be necessary to lag a angle iron to the wall and notch the stones

A deep window well with a slight setback because of width limits


Once the base is prepared the next step is to install the stones onto the concrete footing and taking care to batter the stones back greater than 8” each lift to allow for planting pockets and to make the wall blend in better. The purpose is not to make a WALL but to terrace back the landscape boulders to let a greater deal of light into the basement. Below are some pictures of finished installations

Completed window well with lush planting

Top fringe of the window well

Skids of landscape boulders ready for placement


Window wells have always been the lost item to be detailed, most homeowners inset a metal flange to handle the difference in grade. However with this type of natural installation you will quickly see the aesthetic benefits in:
· increased light in the basement
· colorful view from downstairs
· interesting view from outside
NOTE: make sure there is a proper drain at the height of the window sill that drains down to the weepers or storm drains.

Comments appreciated]]> General index.php?itemid=7 Wed, 7 Jan 2009 18:21:01 +0000 Welcome to NaturalStone.ca index.php?itemid=2
Respectfully
The Natural Stone Team
]]> General index.php?itemid=2 Fri, 2 Jan 2009 16:37:53 +0000